Coupler centering arrangement



J. E. GUTRIDGE ET AL 3,386,596

COUPLER CENTERING ARRANGEMENT June 4, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 51, 1966 INVENTORIJ JACK E. GUTRIDGE THOMAS R. S'CHMITZ WILLIAM VANO R SLUYS J21 A? ATT'Y June 4, 1968 J, u m ET AL I 3,386,596

COUPLER CENTERING ARRANGEMENT Filed May 31, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVTORS JACK E. GUTRIDGE THOMAS R. SCHMITZ WILLIAM VAN DER SLUYS Wh m June 4, 1968 J. E. GUTRIDGE ET COUPLER CENTERING ARRANGEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 31, 1966 SMUS Y RDIY. m MU T m T CS A V U S km E mm fi J United States Patent 3,386,596 COUPLER CENTERING ARRANGEMENT Jack E. Gutridge and Thomas R. Schmitz, Dyer, Ind.,

and William Van Der Sluys, Homewood, IlL, assiguors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 31, 1966, Scr. No. 555,646 11 Claims. (Cl. 213-26) The present invention relates to railway car couplers and more particularly to an arrangement for maintaining the coupler yieldably aligned and positioned relative to the center line of the sill on which the coupler is mounted.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a coupler of the type which is mounted for lateral swinging movement on a center sill with a new and improved centering arrangement for yieldably maintaining the coupler aligned with the longitudinal center line of the sill.

It is another object to provide a coupler centering arrangement with a torsion means arranged to yieldably hold the coupler aligned with the longitudinal center line of the sill.

It is still another object to provide a coupler centering arrangement having a torsion means for yieldably retaining the coupler aligned with the longitudinal center line of the sill with means for detachably engaging and disengaging the centering arrangement from operative engagement with the coupler.

It is a further object to provide a coupler which is mounted for lateral swinging movement on a center sill with a mechanical advantage means which is selectively engageable with the coupler to angularly position the coupler with respect to the longitudinal center line of the sill.

Further objects and features will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a coupler mounted on the end of a center sill and showing the coupler centering arrangement of the present invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the sill showing the coupler in cross section and further showing the coupler centering arrangement in its operative centering position;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the sill and coupler mounted therein showing the coupler centering arrangement in its operative position;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the lines 44 of FIG. 3 and showing the coupler centering device in its operative position in full lines and in its inoperative position in phantom lines;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing another form of torsion means which may be applied to the bar of the coupler centering arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a coupler mounted on a sill and showing a further embodiment of a coupler centering arrangement which incorporates therein a mechanical advantage means for angularly shifting the coupler relative to the center line of the center sill;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the line of FIG. 6 and showing the mechanical advantage means detached from operative engagement with the coupler; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the mechanical advantage means in its operative position in engagement with the coupler for shifting the latter manually to a selective angular position with respect to the longitudinal center line of the coupler.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 to 4 there is shown one embodiment of a coupler cen- 3,386,596 Patented June 4, 1968 tering arrangement 10 applied to a coupler 11 mounted in a center sill 12 extending longitudinally from one end of a railway car. The sill 12 may be of standard construction such as Z-26 center sill including a pair of transversely spaced upwardly webs 14 from the lower ends of which there extend horizontal side flanges 15. Extending across the upper edges of the webs 14 may be a top cover plate 16. At the outer end the sill 12 is formed with a bell mouth opening 17 on the terminal upper ends of which there is fixed a striker plate 18 and across the lower ends there is mounted a coupler carrier assembly 19 which supports the shank 21 of the coupler 11.

The coupler 11 includes a coupler head 22 of conventional construction including means for lockingly engaging with a coupler of similar construction on an adjacent car. The shank 21 is pivotally connected to a draft gear (not shown) mounted in the sill in the conventional manner by means of a coupler or yoke pin 23. The yoke pin 23 is inserted from the top of the sill 12 downwardly through a yoke (not shown) forming a part of the draft gear and is supported at the lower end by a yoke pin carrier plate 26 extending and fastened between the vertical webs 14 of the side sill 11 as by bolts 27. In this manner the coupler 11 is laterally swingable about the coupler pin 23 between a position aligned with the center line C of sill and extreme angular positions R and L as designated for example in FIG. 3.

The coupler 11 may be of the type commonl designated as the long shank type coupler in which the shank length extends between about 43 to 60 inches. These long shank couplers generally swing through an angle between about 13 to 15 on either side of the longitudinal center line Z of the sill. When a long shank coupler is positioned in either of the extreme positions L or R, it is readily apparent that the coupler head is displaced a considerable distance from the center line C. Should a condition occur during coupling of cars in which the coupler on at least one of the cars is positioned at either of these extreme positions, there is the possibility that the coupler heads may by-pass each other. Such by-passing of coupler results in damage to the couplers, frequently requiring replacement thereof.

To obviate such conditions from occurring it is desirable that the coupler be aligned with the center line of the center sill when coupling of the cars occurs.

In accordance with the present invention, the coupler centering arrangement .10 is operative to yieldably maintain the coupler shank in alignment with the center line C of the center sill. As shown, the coupling center arrangement 10 includes a bar 28 which underlies the coupler 11 and is inclined at an upward angle toward the head 22 and is engageable within a notch 31 of a latch plate '32 which is fixed as by welding to the horizontal support plate 3 3. The plate 33 is suitably fixed] to the underside of the coupler shank 21 somewhat rearwardly of the coupler head 22 by means of longitudinally spaced straps 36 which are fixed to the sides of the coupler shank 21 as by welding.

At its other end the bar 28 is fixed as by welding to a sleeve .37 of a torsion means 38 which includes a rod 39 of substantially circular cross section. The rod 39' is vertically disposed and fixed at its upper end as by welding to the underside of the coupler pin carrier plate 26 in substantially coaxial alignment with the coupler pin 23. The sleeve is disposed over the rod and as shown in particular in FIG. 2 is fixed only at its lower end as by welding to the lower end of the rod 39. Thus, upon turning of the upper end of the sleeve 37, the rod 39' is twisted in torsion about the longitudinal axis of the latter. This causes a twisting moment to be imposed upon the bar 28 fixed to the sleeve 37 when the bar 2 8- is moved on either side of the center line C.

In the position shown in full lines, for example in FIG. 3, wherein the coupler shank 21 is in alignment with the center line C of the sill 12 and the bar 23 is in engagement within the notch 31 of the plate 32, no torsional twisting occurs in the torsion assembly 38; however, when a laterally applied force is imposed on the coupler L1 to swing the coupler 11 away from the center line C to either of the positions R or L, the tubular sleeve 37 is turned at its upper end relative to the rod 3% causing a torsional twisting of the latter opposing the direction of the couler swing. Such torsional twisting in the torsion assembly 37 applies a moment arm through the bar 28 onto the coupler 11 thereby to be yieldingly returning the coupler 11 into alignment with the center line C when the force causing the angular displacement from the center line is removed. This assures that the coupler 11 remains aligned with a coupler on an adjacent car so that the coupling may be carried on a straight section of track and precludes the by-passing of the coupler heads as heretofore described.

For releasing the bar 28 from engagement within the notch 3 so that the coupler is free to move independently of the coupler centering arrangement 1% there is provided a centering release mechanism 4-1 which in the form shown comprises a rod 42 extending transversely between the vertical webs 14 of the bell mouth opening 17. The rod 42 is journaled adjacent its end in a pair of bearing brackets 43 mounted on the outer face of the vertical Web 14. Maintaining the rod 42 against transverse movement are a pair of annular discs dd fixed to the rod 42 outwardly of the bearing brackets 43. At the ends the rod 42 may be bent at right angles to form handle portions Intermediate the ends thereof the rods 42 has welded thereto a carnming rod 47 which in the disengaged position of the bar 28 as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4 lies substantially perpendicular to the length of the bar 28 and engages a horizontal outwardly extending and downwardly displaced lip 43 formed on the end of the latter. In this position the camming rod 47 is operative to yieldably bend the bar 28 out of engagement with the notch. Limiting the turning movement of the rod 42 to the release position is a stop 4-5 which is abuttable against the coupler carrier assembly 19. In the operative engaged position of the bar 28, the camming bar 47 lies substantially parallel to the longitudinal extent of the bar 28 so that the latter assumes the normal upwardly inclined position to engage each within the notch 31 as shown in full lines. Accordingly, it should be readily apparent that upon turning of the rod 41 at the end portions 46 so as to position the camming rods 47 between the full and phantom lines position, the bar 23 may be selectively engaged and disengaged within the notch 31 of the plate 32, whereby the centering arrangement is disconnected from the coupler 11.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown another form of torsion means Sll providing a twisting moment on the bar 23 to yieldably hold the coupler l1 aligned with the center line C. As shown, the torsion means '51 is disposed in a substantially vertical plane and is in the form of a circular bar 5'2 which is bent into a U-shaped section 53 including a leg 54- extending upwardly from a bight portion 56. The leg 54 is preferably located coaxially with respect to the coupler pin 23 and is fixed at its free end to and within an opening 57 formed in the horizontal Coupler carrier plate 26. Extending upwardly from the other end of the bight 56 is another leg 58 from which there may extend a substantially horizontal run or section 59 which may be inclined somewhat upwardly relative to the coupler shank 21. Fixed to the free end of the hori- Zontal section 59 is one end of the bar 28 which is engageable wtihin the latching or engaging means 29 fixed to the underside of the coupler as heretofore described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4.

Upon movement of the coupler 11 away from the longitudinal center line C of the center sill 12, it is readily &

apparent that the bar 28 connected thereto by way of the engaging means 29 will upon the application of a lateral force twist the U-shaped portion 53 so that twisting moment is applied on the leg 54 and to some extent on the bight 56 and leg 58. Such twisting of the U-shaped section 53 results in a twisting moment being applied on the horizontal run 59 connected to the bar 28, whereby upon the removal of the lateral force, causing the coupler 11 to swing away from the center line C, the twisting moment is operative to yieldably return the coupler back to its center line position in substantially the same manner as described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4.

The bar 28 is similarly formed at its outer end with a downwardly displaced horizontally extending lip 48 which is engageable with the release mechanism 41. Upon turning of the bar 42 by means of the handles 46 the camrning rod 47 is operative to depress the bar 28 out of engagement with the notch 31 to permit angular movement of the coupler away from the center line C.

Under some circumstances it may be required to couple the railway car on a curve so that it may be necessary to position the couplers at an angle displaced away from the center line C to achieve a proper coupling with an adjacent car. Heretofore, this has been accomplished by manually moving the coupler ltl but this is extremely cumbersome and ditficult because of the weight of the coupler and the resistance offered by the draft gear with which the coupler is associated. To obviate the difficulties there is provided, in accordance with the present invention, a manually operated mechanical advantage means as which may be operated from the side without requiring that a man be located between the coupler heads of the cars to be coupled.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the mechanical advantage positioning means 6! comprises a worm 61 formed intermediate the ends of a rod 62 which is journaled adjacent the ends thereof by means of journaling brackets 63 fixed to the vertical flanges 14 of the bell mouth opening 17. Preferably the Worm 61 is located above the release mechanism 41 and in substantially the same vertical plane so that it may be engaged with a sector member 67 which is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin 64 fixed to the forward edge of the mounting plate 34. The sector member 67 is formed with a threaded portion 68 complementary to the worm 61 on one face thereof.

In the non-use position the sector member 67 assumes the position shown in FIG. 7 out of engagement with the worm 61 in a substantially rest position on the rod 42. Fixed to the rod 42 is a second camming rod 69 located at a position diametrically opposed to the camming rod 47. Accordingly, upon turning of the rod 42 and the camming members 47 and 69 to the position shown in FIG. 8, the camming rod 47 is operative to depress the bar 28 out of engagement with the notch 31 and at the same time the camrning rod 6? is operative to turn the sector member 67 about the pivot pin 64 so that the complementary threaded portion as is in engagement with the worm 61.

Upon turning of the worm 61 by way of a handle portion '71 formed on the ends of the rod 62, the sector gear member 67 fixed to the coupler 11 by way of the pivot pin 64, plate 66 and support plate 34 is operative to swing the coupler 11 about the coupler pin 23 to a desired angular position with respect to the center line and thereby achieve the proper coupling angle. After the cars have been coupled, the rod 42 may again be turned to its normal position as shown in FIG. 7, whereupon the bar 28 is again in position for engagement within the notch 31 so as to yieldingly maintain the coupler aligned with the center line C.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coupler mounting arrangement including a conpler having a coupler head and a shank pivotally connected at one end to a coupler pin mounted on a sill so that said coupler is laterally swingable thereabout, a

coupler centering arrangement for yieldably maintaining said coupler in substantially aligned position with the longitudinal center line of said sill, said coupler center arrangement comprising bar means extending lengthwise of said coupler shank, means mounted on said coupler shank adjacent said coupler head and engageable with one end of said bar means, torsion means applying a twisting moment in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of swinging movement of said coupler mounted on said sill and the other end of said bar means, said torsion means being operative to apply a turning moment on said bar means when the latter is in engagement with said coupler mounted means and said coupler is turned out of alignment with said longitudinal center line.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said torsion means comprises a substantially U-shaped means disposed in a substantially vertical plane, and wherein said bar extends from one leg of said U-shaped means, and said other leg of said U-shaped means is fixed to said sill.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said torsion means comprises a vertically disposed rod fixed at one end to said sill, a tubular sleeve coaxially disposed about said rod and fixed at one end to the other end of said rod, and wherein said bar is fixed to said tubular sleeve at a location spaced from said other end thereof.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said bar is located below said coupler and normally assumes a position engageable with said coupler mounted means, and wherein means extending transversely of said bar is turnably mounted on said sill and having means engageable with said bar in one position thereof to depress said bar out of engagement with said coupler mounted means and in other position permitting said bar to assume said normal position in engagement with said coupler mounted means.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein driving means are mounted on said sill transversely to said longitudinal center line and driven means are fixed to said coupler and engageable with said driving means when said bar is disengaged from said coupler mounted means so that upon actuation of said driving means said coupler is selectively angularly positioned relative to said center line.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said driving means comprises a worm, and said driven means comprises an internally threaded sector member pivotally mounted for movement about a horizontal axis into and out of driven engagement with said driving means.

7. In a coupler mounting arrangement including a coupler having a coupler head and a shank pivotally connected at one end to a coupler pin mounted on a sill so that said coupler is laterally swingable, a coupler centering arrangement for yieldably maintaining said coupler in substantially aligned position with the longitudinal cen ter line of said sill, said coupler center arrangement comprising bar means extending lengthwise of and underlying said coupler shank, latch means mounted on said coupler shank adjacent said coupler head, said bar means normally assuming a position so that one end thereof is in engagement with said latch means, torsion means applying a twisting moment in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of swinging movement of said coupler and fixed to said sill in substantially coaxial alignment with said coupler and fixed to the other end of said bar means, said torsion means being operative to apply a turning moment on said bar means when the latter is in engagement with said coupler mounted means and said coupler is turned out of alignment with said longitudinal center line.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said torsion means is a U-shaped section having a pair of upstanding legs normally lying along said longitudinal line, and wherein one of said legs is fixed to said sill in substantial coaxial alignment with said coupler pin, and said other leg is fixed to the other end of said bar means.

9. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said torsion means comprises a vertically disposed rod substantially coaxially aligned with said coupler pin and fixed at one end to said sill, a tubular sleeve disposed over said rod and fixed thereto at the lower end thereof, and wherein said her means is fixed to said sleeve at a location vertically spaced from said lower end.

10. In a coupler mounting arrangement including a coupler having a coupler head and a shank pivotally connected at one end to a coupler pin mounted on a sill so that said coupler is laterally swingable, a coupler centering arrangement for yieldably maintaining said coupler in substantially aligned position with the longitudinal center line of said sill, said coupler center arrangement comprising bar means extending lengthwise of said coupler shank, latch means mounted on said coupler shank adjacent said coupler head engageable with one of said bar means, a U-shaped torsion means disposed in substantially vertical plane aligned with said longitudinal center line of said sill, said U-shaped means including a first upstanding leg fixed to said sill substantially in alignment with said coupler .pin and a second upstanding leg connected to the other end of said bar means, said torsion means being operative to apply a turning moment on said bar means when the latter is in engagement with said coupler mounted means and said coupler swings out of alignment with said longitudinal center line.

'11. The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein said one end of said bar means is formed with a lip and wherein there is turnably mounted on said sill a transversely extending release means, said release means including carnming means engageable with said lip in one position thereof to displace said bar means out of engagement with said latch means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,112,897 10/1914 Downing 213-20 1,593,344 7/1926 Mize 213- 15 X 2,208,338 7/1940 Munro et al 213-46 3,258,131 6/1966 'Manyek 213--19 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. D. E. HOFFMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A COUPLER MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING A COUPLER HAVING A COUPLER HEAD AND A SHANK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO A COUPLER PIN MOUNTED ON A SILL SO THAT SAID COUPLER IS LATERALLY SWINGABLE THEREABOUT, A COUPLER CENTERING ARRANGEMENT FOR YIELDABLY MAINTAINING SAID COUPLER IN SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED POSITION WITH THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OF SAID SILL, SAID COUPLER CENTER ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING BAR MEANS EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF SAID COUPLER SHANK, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID COUPLER SHANK ADJACENT SAID COUPLER HEAD AND ENGAGEABLE WITH 